Shirt construction

ABSTRACT

A shirt having a seamless shoulder construction is provided. The shirt comprises a body portion and two sleeves. The body portion comprises a sheet of generally rectangular fabric having opposed elongated arcuate cutouts formed in the opposed side edges of the sheet, and a neck opening. The fabric sheet is folded transverse its length to define overlying front and back shirt portions having seamless shoulders and arm openings. Seams join at least a portion of the adjacent edges of the opposed sides of the folded sheet Each of the sleeves is formed from a generally trapezoidally shaped sheet of fabric having a longer base with an arcuate shape. The arcuate shaped base is attached to one of the arm openings to form a seam, and side edges of the sleeves are joined to seam under the arm of the wearer. The shirt is without the conventional seam running across the shoulder from the neck to the shoulder edge.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to apparel, and moreparticularly, to shirts having no seam from the neck to the shoulders.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Shirts are conventionally formed in such a manner that one or more seamsextend from the neck opening toward each shoulder. In button-up dressshirts and sports shirts, for example, there is first formed a pair offront fabric panels and a rear fabric panel. The front panels and rearpanel are then either connected directly by a single seam, or indirectlyby a shoulder segment which connects the front panels and rear panel bya pair of seams.

T-shirts, polo shirts, and other similar apparel, on the other hand, areconventionally formed by a circular knitting process. With this process,fabric is produced on a knitting machine in the form of a tube, with theyarns of the fabric running continuously around the fabric. The T-shirtis typically completed by partially closing one end to form shoulderseams, leaving a neck opening in the center. A trim is normally addedaround the neck and optional sleeves are affixed to arm openings oneither side.

While the shoulder seams do not pose a comfort issue for many wearers,these seams may be a source of considerable discomfort to personnel whowear shoulder-supported load bearing gear such as backpacks orknapsacks. This is particularly true for military personnel, hikers, andlaw enforcement personnel who must carry many pounds of equipmentsupported by shoulder straps for extended periods of time in a spectrumof climatic conditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a shirt construction that solvesthe problem with uncomfortable shoulder seams described above.

In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention is directed to aT-shirt construction. The T-shirt may be formed of a tubular knittedfabric that is cut along its length to form a generally rectangular,singular open width fabric sheet having opposed sides, opposed ends, anda length. Opposed elongated arcuate cutouts are formed in the opposedside edges. A neck opening is formed in the fabric section between thecutouts and proximate the center of the singular sheet. The fabric sheetis then folded transverse its length to define overlying front and backshirt portions having seamless shoulders, a neck opening, and armopenings. The opposed overlying side edges of the folded sheet below thearm openings are sewn together, leaving an open bottom. Sleeve portionsare sewn to the fabric edges which form the elongated arcuate cutouts.Additionally, the cutouts for the sleeves are preferably so spaced fromthe edges of the neck opening that the seams fall below the shoulders ofthe wearer.

In another approach, dress shirts or button-up sport shirts may beformed from woven fabric in essentially the same manner. A rectangularpiece of fabric would have a neck opening, side cutouts, and where abutton-up front is desired, the front would be slit for the applicationof buttons and button holes.

In yet a further aspect of the present invention, the fabric is formedfrom yarns, at least some of which are flame resistant. In oneembodiment, the fabric is formed from a blend of about 80% flameresistant modacrylic staples and about 20% flame resistant viscosestaple fibers.

These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art after a reading of the following description ofthe preferred embodiment in combination with the figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the shirt construction of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the shirt construction of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is plan view illustrating the components of the shirtconstruction of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the Figures in general, one aspect of the present inventionis directed to a T-shirt, shown generally as 100, having a seamlessshoulder construction. As used herein, “shirt” refers to a garment whichis either knit or woven, and for either outerwear or as an undergarment,such as a T-shirt.

As is conventional, for shirts that are produced for wear asundergarments, or T-shirts, the fabric is typically knitted on acircular knitting machine as a jersey fabric, or similar fabric pattern,on any of the commercially available circular knitting machines;however, the fabric of the present invention is not limited to acircular knitted or other knitted construction.

Depending upon the gauge of the knitting needles and the desired densitysetting, the circular knitted fabric may be formed in a wide range offabric weights, again depending on the desired application; however, asexplained above, the weight basis of the jersey fabric is not criticalor limiting of the shirt construction described herein. Once the fabrichas been knitted, the completed fabric may be subjected to finishing,conditioning, packaging, etc. Where the fabric is circular knitted, thecontinuous tube of fabric is subsequently taken up and packaged on rollsfor later use in garment manufacture. For T-shirts, for example, thetubular fabric is initially cut into patterns. Typically thereafter,hems or seams are formed along the lower edge of the tube to create anopen bottom, and in conventional T-shirt constructions, shoulderportions are formed by creating seams to close the upper portion of thetube, minus the neck opening. Sleeves are then sewn to arm openingscreated during the pattern cutting process. Typically, also, the seamsaffixing the sleeves to the body of the shirt are positioned for wear onthe outer edge of the shoulder, or deltoid area.

Referring now to FIG. 3, unlike the conventional T-shirt constructionsof the prior art, the shirt 100 of the present invention comprises agenerally rectangular, singular sheet that is formed by cutting atubular knitted fabric along its length to create an open width sheet.The singular sheet 110 comprises opposed side edges 112 and opposed ends114. The distance between the opposed ends 114 and between the sideedges 112 defining a length and width that will determine the size ofthe shirt.

Having been cut to create an open width singular sheet 110, a T-shirt orother shirt pattern is cut in the sheet 110 with a conventional patterncutting apparatus. In particular, opposed arm openings 115 are cut outof either side 112 of the sheet 110. As shown in FIG. 3, the armopenings 115 have an elongated arcuate shape and are approximatelycentrally located on either side 112 of the sheet 110. Moreparticularly, the arm openings are shaped for cooperative attachmentwith the adjacent edge of generally trapezoidally-shaped sleeve portionsto ensure that puckering of material in the underarm, or axillary area,is reduced, further adding to the comfort of the wearer. As explainedbelow, the elongated arcuate shaped edges that form arm openings alsoare positioned and dimensioned so that the seams that join the edge ofthe shoulder portion and the sleeves will fall below the shoulder of thewearer. During the pattern cutting process, a neck opening 116 is alsocut proximate the center of the sheet 110.

Following the pattern cutting process, the fabric sheet 110 is foldedtransverse its length to create overlying front 117 and back 118portions of the shirt 100, eliminating the conventional shoulder seams,as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In its simplest form, to complete theshirt construction 100, the portions of opposed side edges 112 of theoverlying front 117 and 118 portions below the arm openings are sewntogether by conventional seaming methods to create side seams 119 alonga portion of the length of each side of the shirt 100.

Again, as shown in FIG. 3, the sleeves 122 of the T-shirt of the presentinvention are formed from generally trapezoidally-shaped sheets ofsimilar fabric. That is, the sleeve portion 122 has a longer base 122 aand a shorter base 122 b. The longer base 122 a is shaped in an arcuateconfiguration 123 for seamed attachment along an inner edge I 15a of theelongated arcuate cutout in the side edge of the shirt. Moreparticularly, the longer base 122 a has a generally arcuate, convexshape which tapers down on either side to a tip 122 c. The free end ofthe short sleeve is formed by the narrower end 122 b. As shown in FIG.3, the arcuate shape of the edges 115 a do not conform precisely to theshape of the longer base 122 a of the trapezoidal sleeve portion 122 towhich it is seamed; however, the length of the long base 122 a and thelength of edge 115 a are substantially the same length. Nonetheless, theinventors have found that, when combined and seamed, this uniquecombination of mating edges creates a seamed attachment whichsubstantially eliminates the pucker of the fabric under the arm, oraxillary region, of the wearer, eliminating a further source ofdiscomfort found in conventional T-shirts.

It is apparent that a dress shirt or button-up sport shirt would have tohave some slight pattern adjustments. For example, the front would haveto be slit, and a different pattern applied to the woven fabric thatresults in a wider front panel than rear panel to provide a betterfitting garment. Also, the neck opening would have a different shape.

The construction illustrated by way of example may be 100 percent cottonor may comprise a combination of cotton and any other suitable naturalor synthetic fibers, such as polyester, depending upon the desiredapplication and environment. When the shirt 100 is intended for flameresistant safety apparel, appropriate flame resistant yarn materials areselected. In one exemplary embodiment of the latter type, the shirt isdesigned to be inherently flame resistant to provide an increased degreeof protection for wearers against potential exposure to heat and flameof short duration. In this embodiment for safety apparel, the shirt isformed from yarns that comprise an intimate blend of modacrylic staplefibers and flame resistant (FR) viscose staple fibers. Modacrylics arepolymers that have between 35 percent and 85 percent acrylonitrileunits, modified by other chemical modifiers such as vinyl chloride. Allmodacrylics have a flame-resistant character to some extent; however, ithas been found that fabrics formed from modacrylic yarns having at leastabout 50 percent by weight of acrylonitrile units will provide excellentflame resistance. That is, they will not melt and drip, or continue toburn when a source of ignition is removed. Viscose fibers, sometimesknown as “rayon,” are derived from a natural polymer from wood pump.Flame resistant viscose fibers are fibers that are chemically treated toimpart heat and flame resistance to the fibers. As such, these treatedfibers are adapted for applications in which protection is sought fromfire, radiant heat, electrical arcs, etc. In one embodiment, the yarnselected for the safety apparel is an intimate blend comprising about 80percent modacrylic staple fibers and about 20 percent FR viscose staplefibers.

While the elimination of shoulder seams addresses one of the problemswith conventional T-shirt or undergarment constructions, the placementof the seams between the body of the shirt 100 and the sleeves has alsobeen problematic; i.e., these seams also conventionally fall on theshoulder. As will now be appreciated, the distance of each arm opening115 from the neck opening is also increased over conventional patterns.In particular, the edges 115 a that form the arm openings 115 are asufficient distance from the neck opening 116 so that the seams 120joining the sleeves 122 to the arm openings 115 will fall below theouter edge of the wearer's shoulder, thereby eliminating a seam oneither shoulder that could promote discomfort to the wearer whencarrying load-bearing equipment. A conventional trim strip or collar 124may be sewn around the neck opening 115.

It should be recognized that the preferred embodiment described above isexemplary only. Certain modifications and improvements will occur tothose skilled in the art upon a reading of the foregoing description. Itshould be understood that all such modifications and improvements havebeen deleted herein for the sake of conciseness and readability but areproperly within the scope of the following claims.

1. A shirt having a seamless shoulder construction, comprising: (a) abody portion and two sleeves; (b) the body portion comprising a sheet ofgenerally rectangular fabric having opposed side edges, opposed ends,and a length; (i) opposed elongated arcuate cutouts formed in theopposed side edges of the sheet; (ii) a neck opening; (iii) the fabricsheet folded transverse its length to define overlying front and backshirt portions having seamless shoulders and arm openings; (iv) seamsjoining at least a portion of the adjacent edges of the opposed sides ofthe folded fabric sheet; (c) each of the sleeves formed from a generallytrapezoidally shaped sheet of fabric, with the trapezoidally shapedsheet having a longer base with an arcuate shape, the arcuate shapedbase attached to one of the arm openings to form a seam, and the sleeveshaving side edges that are joined to seam under the arm of the wearer;and (d) whereby the shirt is without the conventional seam runningacross the shoulder from the neck to the shoulder edge.
 2. The shirt ofclaim 1 wherein: (a) each arcuate cutout of the body portion comprises alength; (b) the arcuate shaped base of each sleeve comprises: (i) anedge that does not conform precisely to the arcuate shape of theelongated cutout of the body portion; (b) a length; (c) the length ofthe arcuate cutout of the body portion and the length of the arcuateshaped based are substantially the same; and (d) wherein when thearcuate cutout of the body portion and the arcuate shaped base arecombined and seamed, pucker of the fabric under the arm of a wearer issubstantially eliminated.
 3. The shirt of claim 1 wherein the armopenings are spaced from the neck opening a distance sufficient toposition the seam between the arm opening and the sleeve below theshoulder of a wearer.
 4. The shirt of claim 1 wherein the fabric isformed of yarns comprising an intimate blend of fibers containing atleast some flame resistant fibers.
 5. The shirt of claim 4 wherein theintimate blend comprises about 80 percent modacylic fibers and about 20percent flame resistant viscose fibers.
 6. The shirt of claim 1 whereinthe front shirt portion is slit from the neck to the bottom edge to forma button-up type shirt.